Just over two weeks had passed since Jack's surprise return. After a mistake in his hotel booking, Daisy agreed he could stay with her and Onslow. After all they had the room and it would save him and his company money.

What should have been a three day trip had etched out into a two week holiday, with no sign of coming to a close. According to Jack he was due a holiday and Juliet had agreed he needed a break from the company and looking after her. He claimed she was spending the time he was away convalescing with her sister.

While Rose, Daisy and Violet all took Jack's word at face value, Hyacinth certainly didn't. Neither did Emmet and Onslow too was getting suspicious. He also had thought his house guest had out stayed his welcome.

Onslow took an instant dislike to the way he was treating Daisy like a slave. He also didn't like the amount of time he was spending in Onslow's favourite haunts, the pub and bookies. Jack was stifling Onslow at home and in public. He had enough by day two of his brother-in-law's stay. Jack was constantly drinking his beer and smoking all his cigarettes. Without even offering to replace them. It was like having Rose living back with them. At least her previous gentleman friends offered Onslow replacement cigarettes.

Eventually, Onslow snapped and told Jack it was time he went and stopped with another of his sisters. Jack apologised for out staying his welcome. Daisy insisted that he hadn't and Onslow had no right to have claimed such a thing.

...

That evening Emmet Hawksworth was looking forward to getting home and enjoying relaxing with a glass of wine.

He was surprised to find Jack sat on his sofa complete with his bare feet on the coffee table, drinking his wine straight out of the bottle and watching his television, loudly.

He had expected to find the flat empty as Rose always stayed at work late on Thursdays to do paperwork and then she and Violet would go out for something to eat.

"What are you doing here?" Emmet asked sternly, as he placed his briefcase on the floor.

"I've out stayed my welcome with our Daisy so our Rose said I could stay with you." The man replied not looking away from the telly.

Emmet was outraged not only at the barefaced cheek of the man but at Rose not consulting him about it first.

"You don't mind do you mate?"

"Of course not." Emmet replied spikily. He did mind. Very much and he certainly wasn't his mate.

...

Almost a week in and Emmet couldn't stand anymore of his unwelcome visitor. As far as he could see Jack hadn't done anything other than sit on the sofa watching television, eating them out of house and home. Smoking Rose's cigarettes in the apartment not on the balcony and making loud noises while Emmet was busy tutoring.

That evening he had enough and left Rose and Jack drinking. That was another thing, Jack brought out the worst in Rose, she was brash, rude and garish when with him. It didn't suit her Emmet thought.

...

When Emmet reached the pub he was relived to see Onslow propping up the bar.

"It's not often I see you in 'ere." Commented Onslow. "Let me guess, you are escaping an unwelcome visitor who goes by the name of Jack."

"How did you guess?" Emmet replied sarcastically.

He bought himself and Onslow a pint of bitter and they adjourned to a table.

Whilst Onslow seemed to down his pint, Emmet nursed his, playing with the soggy, torn beer mats. Onslow knew his drinking companion was elsewhere.

"How long's he stopping for?" Onslow probed, sensing the answer would be 'indefinitely.'

"Not for much longer if I have my way." Emmet said bluntly. "I don't trust him. He's lazy and he brings out this side of Rose I don't like and he's never once mentioned his ill wife or done any work."

"It was the same with our Dais. She wouldn't have a word said against him. You are right to not trust him." Onslow replied before extracting a cigarette from a battered packet.

"What makes you say that?" Intrigued, Emmet leaned forward in his chair.

"Well I had enough of him forever being in the bookies so I defected to one of Bruce's. Anyway, I got talking to him and he remembered Jack. Two weeks before he rocked up claiming to be on business he was in Bruce's shops. Causing trouble, getting nasty when losing and never knowing when to stop. To cut a long story short Bruce banned him from all his shops and he mentioned he's banned from most bookies in a ten mile radius and most of Devon I shouldn't expect. If he actually does live there."

"Shouldn't Rose and Violet know this?" Emmet asked, panic ringing through his voice.

"I'm sure they will know. They must have heard from the local Gambling Association and they can't deny his behaviour is that of an addict. Like Dais they are turning a blind eye. Also don't hold me to this, but I think Violet is allow Rose to sub his betting. Which puts their gambling licence in danger. If he was a high flying, successful businessman he wouldn't be borrowing money."

Emmet sighed. "So what do we do?"

Onslow shrugged. "I dunno, the girls won't listen. Leave it with me. I'll do some digging. If I were you I'd get rid of his as soon as you can. Things went missing when he stayed with us. Now I know we don't have a lot but little bits and bobs like Daisy's father's war medals and some of her grandmother's ornaments. The only things that mean anything to her. She's insisting she has just mislaid 'em."

Emmet thanked Onslow and decided it was time he went home and talked to Rose about Jack moving on. The men both agreed they needed to keep beady eyes on Jack for the sake of the sisters.

...

When Emmet returned home he was greeted by raucous laughter.

"Hello love, did you get some fresh air?" Rose slurred, attempting to stand up and kiss him.

"Of sorts, I'm going to try and get the schedule for the over sixties singsongs finalised. The Vicar keeps asking me for it."

"Sounds riveting." Jack replied sarcastically, causing Rose to laugh.

Emmet glared at Rose. She noticed.

"Now Jack, that's not fair. My Emmet works hard."

Emmet smiled at Rose as a way of saying thank you and made his way to his music room.

As soon as he entered he knew his room had been disturbed. Whilst the room was tidy, neat freak Emmet knew his things had been moved.

Searching round the room he soon discovered several items were missing. He called Rose into the room.

"What's up?"

"Have you been in here lately, love?"

Rose shook her head, she knew better than to mess with his sacred space.

"Of course not." Despite the slight glazed film over her eyes from drinking, he could tell she was telling truth. "Why do you ask?"

"I can't find Dad's silver fountain pen or my gold carriage clock. I don't suppose you've seen them?"

"I haven't, perhaps the cleaner moved them when she came yesterday?" Rose tried, hoping Emmet wouldn't try accusing Jack.

"Maybe. I'll ask her on Saturday." Emmet knew Mrs Morecroft, the cleaner wouldn't have touched them. He had a good idea who had but he decided it wasn't a good idea to go accusing him just yet.